NCJ Number
191873
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 68 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2001 Pages: 108-110
Date Published
October 2001
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article describes how an offender identification and central booking project integrates three technologies.
Abstract
Pennsylvania criminal justice agencies have integrated livescan, photo imaging, and videoconferencing to create central booking centers throughout the State. Livescan is a booking management system that electronically captures fingerprints from arrested individuals without the use of ink. It takes fingerprints the same way a photograph is scanned into a computer. The Commonwealth Photo Imaging Network (CPIN) captures and stores digital photographs of arrestees. All images are stored electronically in both a database maintained by the State police and within each agency's own in-house cloned system. Videoconferencing is used to link district justice offices and booking centers to conduct preliminary arraignments of arrestees. The integration of the three systems has made it possible for police to produce a "rap sheet" on a suspect almost immediately at the booking facilities. This provides positive identification of the arrestee, a listing of prior criminal involvement, and any indicators if the person is wanted. The CPIN system also allows an investigator to bring a witness to the computer, search the CPIN database, and instantly display on the computer screen all possible suspect photographs instead of having the witness look through mug-shot books.